This invention relates to a contact configuration to be used in a connector, a connector for use with electric and electronic appliances such as factory automation appliances, office automation appliances, cellular or mobile phones, and the like.
In general, hitherto used contacts for connectors each have a contact portion adapted to contact a first connecting object, a fixed portion held in an insulator, and a connection portion to be connected to a second connecting object. The first connection object includes a mating connector, substrate, flexible printed circuit board, flexible flat cable, and the like. The second connecting object includes a substrate, flexible printed circuit board, flexible flat cable, and the like.
As the contact portion adapted to contact the first connecting object is required to stably contact the connecting object, quite frequently, two contact portions are provided one on each side of the inserting direction of the first connecting object. In order to improve the connection stability, there are cases that the number of the contacts is further increased as disclosed in the following parent literatures.
Six patent literatures are shown hereafter, which are Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2007-73,296 proposed by the applicant of the present case (Patent Literature 1), Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-270,290 (Patent Literature 2), Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2003-17,167 (Patent Literature 3), Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-72,701 (Japanese Patent Opened No. 2009-230942) proposed by the applicant of the present case (Patent Literature 4), Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-114,696 (Japanese Patent Opened No. 2009-266606) proposed by the applicant (Patent Literature 5), and Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2007-234,525 (Patent Literature 6).
Patent Literature 1
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2007-73,296 proposed by the applicant of the present case, the invention has an object to provide an electrical connector for a flexible printed circuit board, which enables contacts to be detachably fitted therein so that even if the contacts are failed, they can be easily replaced with new ones. Disclosed is an electrical connector including contacts 1 each having a junction 4 to be electrically connected to another substrate and a pair of contact portions 5a and 5b bifurcated and extending from the junction 4 to form a bearing space 10 therebetween; an array plate 2 for forming thereon a contact group by aligning a plurality of the contacts 1 in a particular direction (Y direction); and a cam shaft 3 positioned and rotatably held within the bearing spaces 10 of the contacts 1 aligned with one another on the array plate 2 to form a contact group and having a major axis portion 11 and a minor axis portion 12 different in size such that former is larger and the latter is smaller than the width W of the bearing spaces 10 so that the cam shaft 3 is axially insertable into and retractable from the bearing spaces 10 of the contacts 1 forming the contact group.
Incidentally, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2007-73,296 recites an aligned contact group comprising contacts each including a junction to be electrically connected to another substrate and a pair of contact portions bifurcated and extending from said junction and each having at a tip at least one electric contact adapted to be electrically connected to an electrode formed on a surface of an inserted flexible substrate, and an array plate for forming thereon a contact group by substantially aligning a plurality of said contacts in a particular direction, and each of the contacts forming said contact group having a bearing space located between both the contact portions nearer to the junction than do the electric contacts, the bearing space for rotatably positioning and holding therein a cam shaft in the form of bar which is axially insertable into and retractable from the bearing space. Claim 2 recites the aligned contact group as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cam shaft has a major axis portion and a minor axis portion different in size such that the former is larger and the latter is smaller than the width of said bearing spaces. Claim 3 recites the aligned contact group as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said contacts are made of an elastic conductive material, wherein when inserting the flexible substrate into spaces between both the contact portions of the contacts forming said contact group, said cam shaft is rotated within said bearing spaces and said major axis portion of the cam shaft is held in a position where said major axis portion is facing to both the contact portions so that both the contact portions of the contacts forming said contact group are spread by the action of the outer surfaces of the cam shaft so as to widen spacing between said electric contacts of both the contact portions to be wider than the thickness of said flexible substrate, thereby enabling the flexible substrate to be inserted between the electric contacts without requiring any insertion force, and wherein when electrically connecting electrodes of the inserted flexible substrate to the electric contacts of the contacts forming said contact group, said cam shaft is rotated within said bearing spaces to a position where the minor axis portion of said cam shaft is facing to both the contact portions so that both the contact portions of the contacts forming said contact group are elastically restored such that the spacing between the electric contacts of said contact portions becomes smaller than the thickness of said flexible substrate, thereby electrically connecting the electrodes of the flexible substrate and the electric contacts of said respective contacts. Claim 4 recites an electrical connector for the flexible substrate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said cam shaft is provided at one end with a detachable operating lever for rotating the cam shaft. Claim 5 recites an electrical connector for the flexible substrate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said contacts are each provided with a projection at the portion defining said bearing space for preventing the cam shaft from moving in longitudinal direction of said contact portion. Claim 6 recites an electrical connector for a flexible substrate comprising contacts each including a junction to be electrically connected to another substrate and a pair of contact portions bifurcated and extending from said junction and each having at a tip at least one electric contact adapted to be electrically connected to an electrode formed on a surface of the inserted flexible substrate, and said contacts each further including a bearing space located between these contact portions nearer to said junction than do said electric contacts, an array plate for forming thereon a contact group by substantially aligning a plurality of said contacts in a particular direction, and a cam shaft in the form of a bar rotatably positioned and held within said bearing spaces of said contacts aligned with one another on said array plate to form a contact group, and having a major axis portion and a minor axis portion different in size such that the former is larger and the latter is smaller than the width of said bearing spaces of both the contact portions, and said cam shaft being axially insertable into and retractable from said bearing spaces of said contacts forming said contact group.
Patent Literature 2
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-270,290, this invention has an object to provide a reduced overall height connector having an actuator which is actuated by a slight operating force and capable of enlarging moving distances of contacts to securely perform electrical connection. Disclosed is a connector comprising an actuator 30 having cam portions 31 and an actuating portion 33, between both the portions being formed with relief grooves 32 into which proximities 14a of tips of spring portions 14 of the contacts 10 are inserted and removed, so that when the actuator is rotated about its fulcrum 31a through 90° in a clockwise direction, the cam portions cause the spring portions and connecting spring portions 13 of the respective contacts to be elastically deformed to embrace a flexible printed circuit board 50 between projections 11a and 11b of the contact portions 11 and projections 12a and 12b of the contact portions 12, with the result that patterns of the flexible printed circuit board 50 are connected to a printed substrate 60 through terminals 17 of the respective contacts, and an insulator 20 having a ceiling portion 22 covering the contact portions 11 of the respective contacts and formed in the lower portion of the front side of the ceiling portion with a guide portion 22a for inserting the flexible printed circuit board into the connector.
Incidentally, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-270,290 recites a connector including contacts, an insulator holding said contacts, and an actuator rotatably mounted on said insulator and enabling said contacts to be elastically deformed to bring them into contact with a connecting object, wherein said contacts each comprise a first beam having on one side a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and on the other side an actuated portion to be actuated by said actuator, a second beam having on one side a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and on the other side a terminal portion to be connected to a printed substrate, and a jointing spring portion connecting said first and second beams, and wherein said insulator includes a ceiling portion for covering at least ones of the contact portions from the fitting side and said ceiling portion is formed with a guide portion for guiding the insertion of said connecting object. Claim 2 recites the connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least ones of the contact portions are each provided with an inclined portion inclined toward said connecting object in the proximity of said jointing spring portion. Claim 3 recites the connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator comprises an actuating portion, cam portions for actuating said actuated portions of said contacts, and relief grooves between said actuating portion and said cam portions so that said actuated portions can be inserted into said relief grooves before the connector is connected to said connecting object. Claim 4 recites a connector including contacts, an insulator holding said contacts, and an actuator rotatably mounted on said insulator and enabling said contacts to be elastically deformed to bring them into contact with a connecting object, wherein said contacts each comprise a first beam having on one side a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and on the other side an actuated portion to be actuated by said actuator, a second beam having on one side a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and on the other side a terminal portion to be connected to a printed substrate, and a jointing spring portion connecting said first and second beams, and wherein the contact portions of said first beams each include a first protrusion and a second protrusion arranged side by side one on each side of the inserting direction of said connecting object and extending toward said connecting object, and the contact portions of said second beams each include a third protrusion and a fourth protrusion arranged side by side one on each side of the inserting direction of said connecting object and extending toward said connecting object so that said third protrusion is positioned between said first protrusion and said second protrusion or said first protrusion is positioned between said third protrusion and said fourth protrusion with the result that said first and second protrusions or said third and fourth protrusions become in contact with said connecting object.
Patent Literature 3
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2003-17,167, this invention has an object to provide a connector having a pivotal actuator for a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, having pivotal movement operability and high contact pressure in a balanced manner. Discloses is a connector for a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, includes a plurality of contacts each having a contact leg adapted to contact the circuit board or flat cable and a stabilizer leg corresponding to the contact leg, said contacts consisting of a front group of contacts each having the contact leg on the front side and a rear group of contacts, and an actuator formed with spring receiving portions and insertion protrusions arranged alternately at every other positions corresponding to the respective stabilizer legs of the rear and front contacts, wherein the stabilizer legs of the rear group of contacts are formed as elastically deforming legs which engage the spring receiving portions of the actuator to be elastically deformed, and the stabilizer legs of the front group of contacts are formed as fixed legs so that when the actuator is pivotally moved into a locked position, its insertion protrusions are inserted between said stabilizer legs and the circuit board or flat cable so as to generate contact pressures between the circuit board or flat cable and the contact legs of both the groups of the contacts.
Incidentally, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2003-17,167 recites a connector for a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including an insulator having a plurality of contacts adapted to contact the circuit board or flat cable; and an actuator pivotally actuated between a locking position and an unlocking position relative to the insulator and in the locking position subjected to contact pressures of the elastically deformed contacts and the circuit board or flat cable, wherein said plurality of the contacts each comprise a contact leg adapted to contact the circuit board or flat cable and a stabilizer leg corresponding to the contact leg to form inserting grooves for the circuit board or flat cable, said plurality of contacts consisting of a first group of the contacts and a second group of the contacts arranged in parallel with each other, said first and second groups of the contacts being front group of the contacts and rear group of the contacts alternately aligned at every other position on front and rear sides with respect to the inserting direction of the circuit board, wherein said actuator comprises spring receiving portions and insertion protrusions formed alternately at every other positions corresponding to the respective stabilizer legs of the rear group of the contacts and of the front group of contacts, and wherein when the actuator is pivotally moved between the locking position and the unlocking position, the stabilizer legs of said rear group of the contacts engage said spring receiving portions of the actuator to be elastically deformed so that these stabilizer legs serve as elastically deforming legs, and when the actuator is pivotally moved into the locking position and the insertion protrusions of the actuator are inserted into between said stabilizer legs and the circuit board or flat cable, the stabilizer legs of said front group of the contacts are subjected to forces from the elastically deformed contact legs of both the groups of the contacts to cause contact forces with the circuit board or flat cable so that these stabilizer legs serve as fixed legs. Claim 2 recites the connector for a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuator has pushing projections for pushing the circuit board or flat cable when the actuator is pivotally moved from the pivoted end of unlocking toward the locking, and when the pushing projections push the circuit board or flat cable to cause it to be deformed toward the contact legs to the maximal extent, said spring receiving portions cause the elastically deforming legs of the rear group of the contacts to be elastically deformed to the maximal extent and cause the elastically deformed amounts to be reduced before and after the maximal deformation. Claim 3 recites the connector for a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locking position of the actuator is a position where the actuator is substantially parallel to the insulator, and the pivoted end of the unlocking is a position where said actuator crosses over the position where the actuator is perpendicular to the insulator, while the maximal displacement of the elastically deforming legs of said rear group of the contacts occurs in a position where the actuator has been pivoted toward the locking position over the position where the actuator is perpendicular to the insulator to cause the actuator to produce a click pivoting force toward the locking position. Claim 4 recites the connector for a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring receiving portions of the actuator each comprise a cam portion which causes the actuator to generate a click pivoting force in the locking direction by causing the elastically deforming legs of the rear group of the contacts to be elastically deformed once to the maximal extent at a position where the actuator has been pivoted toward the locking position over the position where the actuator is perpendicular to the insulator when the actuator is pivotally moved from the pivoted end of unlocking into the locking direction, and thereafter by decreasing the elastically deformed amounts.
Patent Literature 4
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-72,701 previously proposed by the applicant of the present case, this invention has an object to provide contacts 20 enabling a stable connection without increasing fitting and inserting forces even if a great number of contacts are used. Disclosed is a contact 20 having contact portions 22 adapted to contact a first connecting object 50 and arranged facing to each other one on each side of the inserting direction of a first connecting object 50, a fixed portion 24 held in an insulator 12, and a connection portion 26 to be connected to a second connecting object 60, the contact 20 comprising at least four independent elastic pieces 28 extending in at least one direction of the inserting direction of the first connecting object 50 and the opposite direction therefrom, and the elastic pieces 28 each provided at a predetermined position with at least one contact portion 22 arranged to embrace the first connecting object 50 by the contact portions 22 facing to each other of the elastic pieces 28.
Incidentally, claim 1 of the Patent Application No. 2008-72,701 recites a contact having contact portions adapted to contact a first connecting object and arranged facing to each other one on each side of the inserting direction of the first connecting object, a fixed portion to be held in an insulator, and a connection portion to be connected to a second connecting object, the contact comprising at least four independent elastic pieces extending in at least one direction of the inserting direction of said first connecting object and opposite direction therefrom, and said elastic pieces each provided at a predetermined position with at least one of said contact portions arranged to embrace said first connecting object by the contact portions facing to each other of the elastic pieces. Claim 2 recites the contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elastic pieces are arranged symmetrically with respect to the inserting direction of said first connecting object or in the direction perpendicular to the inserting direction. Claim 3 recites the contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elastic pieces are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the inserting direction of said first connecting object or in the direction perpendicular to the inserting direction. Claim 4 recites the contact as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said elastic pieces are each provided at its tip with the contact portion adapted to contact said first connecting object. Claim 5 recites the contact as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the two respective elastic pieces are arranged symmetrically with respect to the inserting direction of said first connecting object, and said elastic pieces are each provided at its tip with the contact portion. Claim 6 recites the contact as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the elastic length of said elastic pieces is 1.0 to 50. Claim 7 recites a connector having the contacts of claims 1 to 6 arranged and held in an insulator.
Patent Literature 5
According to the abstract of the Patent Application No. 2008-114,696, this invention has an object to provide contacts 20 enabling a stable connection without increasing fitting and inserting forces, a reduced overall height and a miniaturization in the inserting direction of a connector even if a great number of the contacts are arranged in the connector. Disclosed is a contact having at least one contact portion 22 adapted to contact a first connecting object, a fixed portion 34 to be held in an insulator 12, and a connection portion 36 to be connected to a second connecting object, wherein the free end of the contact portion is extended to form an extension portion 44 which is folded back in the inserting direction of the first connecting object and further in the direction of the thickness of the first connecting object, and the folded extension portion 44 is provided with at least one new contact portion (second contact portion) 24.
Incidentally, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-114,696 recites a contact having at least one contact portion adapted to contact a first connecting object, a fixed portion to be held in an insulator, and a connection portion to be connected to a second connecting object, wherein the free end of said contact portion is extended to form an extension portion which is bent back in the inserting direction of said first connecting object and further in the direction of the thickness of the first connecting object, and the folded extension portion is provided with at least one new contact portion. Claim 2 recites the contact as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one contact portion is further provided at a position facing to said contact portion and said new contact portion. Claim 3 recites the contact as claimed in claim 2, wherein the free end of the contact portion further provided at the position facing to said contact portion and said new contact portion is extended to form a second extension portion which is bent back in the inserting direction of said first connecting object and further in the direction of the thickness of the first connecting object, and the folded extension portion is also provided with at least one new contact portion. Claim 4 recites the contact as claimed in claim 3, wherein said contact portion is named a first contact portion, and one new contact portion is provided as said at least one new contact portion, which is named a second contact portion, and said first contact portion and said second contact portion are arranged at the same distances from the folded portion, and wherein the contact portion further provided at the position facing to said contact portion and said new contact portion is named a third contact portion and the contact portion provided on said second extension portion is named a fourth contact portion, and said third contact portion and said fourth contact portion are arranged at the same distances or at different distances from the folded portion. Claim 5 recites the contact as claimed in claim 3, wherein said contact portion is named a first contact portion, and one new contact portion is provided as said at least one new contact portion, which is named a second contact portion, and said first contact portion and said second contact portion are arranged at the different distances from the folded portion, and wherein the contact portion further provided at the position facing to said contact portion and said new contact portion is named a third contact portion and the contact portion provided on said second extension portion is named a fourth contact portion, and said third contact portion and said fourth contact portion are arranged at the same distances or at different distances from the folded portion. Claim 6 recites a connector having the contacts claimed in claims 1 to 5 arranged and held in an insulator.
Patent Literature 6
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2007-234,525, this invention has an object to provide a connector for a circuit board connecting member, and to provide a multilayer printed circuit board and a method for producing a circuit board connecting structure, these enabling a printed circuit board to be securely and detachably connected to the circuit board connecting member and enabling an area and a volume required for connection to be minimal. A flexible circuit board connector 1 comprises a housing 11 made of a molded resin in the form of a U-shape and having an opening 11a, and contact pins 6 arranged at predetermined intervals in the opening 11a of the housing 11. The contact pins 6 are formed from an elastic metal so as to have a bent portion. The housing 11 comprises engaging portions 11b in the proximities of both inner ends in the opening 11a, the engaging portions 11b being formed to be elastically deformable and each having a recess, and loading portions 11c on both outer sides of the engaging portions 11b. There is a predetermined space between the engaging portion 11b and the loading portion 11c so that the engaging portion 11b can be elastically deformed by a given amount toward the loading portion 11c.
Incidentally, claim 1 of the Patent Application Opened No. 2007-234,525 recites a connector for a circuit board connecting member, the connector to be connected to the circuit board connecting member inserted from the outside into a multilayer printed circuit board through an opening and the connector being arranged in inner layers of the multilayer printed circuit board communicating with the outside through the opening, said connector comprising a housing having a connector opening for inserting said circuit board connecting member and having in said connector opening a plurality of connecting pins at predetermined intervals to be connected to the inner layers of said multilayer printed circuit board, and engaging members positioned in said connector opening and adapted to engage and fix said circuit board connecting member in a state that connecting terminals of said circuit board connecting member are connected to said connecting pins, and said housing comprising loading portions to be embraced between the inner layers of said multilayer printed circuit board. Claim 2 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises an exposing opening formed so as to communicate with said connector opening and so as to expose inner layers of said multilayer printed circuit board positioned on the other side of said inner layers to be connected to said respective connecting pins. Claim 3 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector comprises said two engaging members positioned on both sides of receiving portions for said connecting pins in said connector opening and having recesses or protrusions adapted to engage engaged portions formed on said circuit board connecting member so that said two engaging members engage said engaged portions from the both sides of said circuit board connecting member, and said respective engaging members are elastically deformable outwardly of both sides of said circuit board connecting member in response to connecting and disconnecting of said circuit board connecting member to and from said connector for the circuit board connecting member. Claim 4 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 3, wherein said engaged portions are formed to have recesses or protrusions to be engaged with said engaging members at the inner layers and both edges in horizontal directions when inserted portions of said circuit board connecting member are inserted into the connector for the circuit board connecting member. Claim 5 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 3, wherein said loading portions are formed to be thicker by a predetermined thickness in the laminating direction of said multilayer printed circuit board than the respective engaging members, and said respective engaging members are arranged on the inner side of both the ends of said loading portions with respect to the laminating direction of said multilayer printed circuit board. Claim 6 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are provided, in said connector opening, engaging members each having a recess or protrusion adapted to engage an engaged portion formed on said circuit board connecting member and being elastically deformable in the direction of said inner layers to be connected to said respective connecting pins in response to connecting and disconnecting of said circuit board connecting member to and from the connector. Claim 7 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 6, wherein said engaged portions are each formed to have a recess or protrusion to engage said engaging member, said recess or protrusion being on the side of said inner layers adapted to be connected to said respective connecting pins of the inserted portions when said circuit board connecting member is inserted into the connector for the circuit board connecting member. Claim 8 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein a resin is molded around said housing and said engaging members to form an integral resin molded unit. Claim 9 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing is molded from a resin, and said engaging members are made of a metal and embedded in said housing. Claim 10 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector is provided with guide members for preventing said circuit board connecting member from contacting contact locations between said respective connecting pins and said inner layers, when said circuit board connecting member is inserted into said connector opening. Claim 11 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said respective connecting pins are elastically deformable toward said inner layers to which said respective connecting pins are connected, in response to the connecting and disconnecting of said circuit board connecting member to and from the connector for the circuit board connecting member. Claim 12 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 11, wherein said respective connecting pins each comprises a plurality of linear portions formed substantially in parallel with the inserting direction of said circuit board connecting member, a plurality of semicircular arc portions formed in the form of a semicircular arc whose both ends are connected to ends of said linear portions and whose apexes are positioned in substantially perpendicular to said inner layers to which said respective connecting pins are connected, said semicircular arc portions each comprising a first semicircular arc portion adapted to abut against said circuit board connecting member when said circuit board connecting member is inserted into said opening, and a second semicircular arc portion which is a predetermined size smaller than said first semicircular arc portion, and at least said linear portion positioned nearest to said connector opening is connected to said inner layers. Claim 13 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuit board connecting member is a flexible circuit board. Claim 14 recites the connector for a circuit board connecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuit board connecting member is a wire harness formed by binding up a plurality of cables. Claim 15 recites a multilayer printed circuit board having inner layers communicating with the external through an opening and having a connector for a circuit board connecting member arranged in said inner layers and to be connected to the circuit board connecting member inserted from the external through said opening, wherein said connector for the circuit board connecting member comprises a housing having the connector opening into which said circuit board connecting member is inserted, a plurality of connecting pins being received in said connector opening at predetermined intervals and being connected to said inner layers of said multilayer printed circuit board, said housing having loading portions embraced between the inner layers of said multilayer printed circuit board, and said connector further comprises engaging members located in said connector opening and adapted to engage and fix said circuit board connecting member under a condition that connecting terminals of said circuit board connecting member are connected to said connecting pins. Claim 16 recites the multilayer printed circuit board as claimed in claim 15, wherein said housing comprises an exposing opening formed to be in communication with said connector opening and serving to expose inner layers located on the other side of said inner layers of said multilayer printed circuit board being connected to said respective connecting pins, and said circuit board connecting member inserted in said connector opening is held by said respective connecting pins and said inner layers exposed by said exposing opening. Claim 17 recites a method for producing a circuit board connecting structure formed by connecting a circuit board connecting member and a connector for the circuit board connecting member, said connector for the circuit board connecting member being inserted into inner layers of a multilayer printed circuit board, said inner layers communicating with the external through an opening, and said circuit board connecting member being inserted through said opening from the external, said method comprising steps of bonding a reinforcing plate to an end of a conductor assembly consisting of a plurality of wire conductors, and punching the end of said reinforcing plate and said conductor assembly bonded thereto by the use of image-recognition technique to form inserted portions to be inserted into said circuit board connecting member having engaged portions adapted to be engaged with engaging members of said connector for a circuit board connecting member, thereby producing said circuit board connecting member.
The contact having the two contact portions one on each side of the inserting direction of the first connecting object as is the case of the prior art can securely improve the contact reliability. In this case, however, the inserting force for the first connecting object would become great, and particularly the fitting force would become great in the event of a great number of contacts.
With the contact provided with three contact portions as disclosed in the Patent Literature 1 proposed by the applicant of the present case, the contact portion on the rear side, on which two connection portions are arranged, has to be higher than the contact portion on the front side so that the inserting force would become greater and there would be a risk of the connecting object being deformed.
With the case of the low inserting force type connector as disclosed in the Patent Literature 2, the inserting force would become greater and there would be a risk of the connecting object being deformed in the similar way. While, with the zero insertion force type connector, there would be the tendency for irregularities in contact pressure to occur at respective contacts.
In the Patent Literature 3, although it looks like that the independent elastic piece is provided at its tips with (upper and lower) contact portions, the upper protrusion 40d is adapted to engage the actuator 20 but not adapted to contact the mating object. In the construction of the Patent Literature 3, if the upper protrusion 40d is used as a contact portion adapted to contact the mating object, a stable connection could not be obtained.
In order to solve the problems in the Patent Literatures 1 to 3, the applicant of the present case has proposed the Patent Literature 4. However, it does not comply with the requirement for reduced overall height of a connector, although it has the luxury of a longitudinal length. Moreover, it is difficult to achieve the miniaturization of the connector in the inserting direction of the connecting object, because the length of the elastic pieces more than a certain extent is required in order to obtain a stable electrical connection.
Further, the applicant of the present case has proposed that as disclosed in the Patent Literature 5 in order to comply with the requirement for a reduced overall height of connector having the luxury of a longitudinal length. However, the connector disclosed in the Patent Literature 5 has a long longitudinal length, which does not achieve an arrangement of contacts with very narrow pitches.
With the contacts disclosed in the Patent Literature 6 (FIGS. 17 and 18), they are supported at both the ends so that a greater fitting force is required than those in the examples of the prior art and in the Patent Literatures 1 to 3.